New polish way of life - Kurt Fleckenstein in the Gallery Profil in Poznan

Big Macs for Lord’s Supper - A mirror for the Polish society

Kurt Fleckenstein opens a big solo exhibition on the 4th of July in the municipal gallery “Profil� of Poznan. In the prestigious premises of the castle of Posen Fleckenstein holds a mirror up to the modern Polish society. He reflects the “New Polish Way of Life� critically as he spends half his time in Poland and is almost addressed as a “local� artist in Wroclaw. Four key parts of the exhibition are building the framework of the “modern� life. „Wolnosc“ (freedom) refers to the labour union „Solidarnosc“ and represents itself now through four beer brands that only differ in their brand designs. However, they all belong to the same internationally active company. Is the opportunity of choice between four beer brands the freedom the Solidarnosc-movement once had in mind?

In a video, a car that had been crashed in an accident is shown in a modern car-wash from its front and back side in an infinite washing loop. Again and again the crashed car is washed and dried and despite this procedure, which seems to last forever, it does not “recover�. With this art piece Fleckenstein alludes to the high amount of traffic deaths in Poland in coexistance with the worship of cars as means of power demonstration.

Referring to the fact that the architectonically exemplary restored historical downtown areas in Poland are covered with billboards and temporary advertisement posters, Fleckenstein makes visitors squeeze themselves through a labyrinth of billboards with the inscription “I hate billboards�. The smoking ban which is now also omnipresent in Poland motivated him to placard a whole room with this prohibitory signs and to place a lord’s supper table made of white plastic tables and chairs in the center of the room covered with Coca-Colas and Big Macs. “Civilised and Enlightened� is the title of this part of the exhibition.

The great delight of the Polish in the English language and the hundreds of thousands of “Polish immigrant workers� in England explain why the title of the art piece „ New Polish Way of Life“ occurs to be in English.

For further information: www.kurt-fleckenstein.com